Off The Beaten Track(Or Just An Alternative To The Bow)

[FeatherFlicker]

I know that each bloke and lady for that matter holds their fishing spot close to his chest and I am gratefully respectful of that. Rather than GPS locations I am mearly seeking some advice or direction as to some alternative and less obvious (at least to me) fishing possibilities as this Spring like weather begins to twitch my stripping hand.

 

I have recently moved to Calgary from Australia , not to plague the ski hill like my fellow brothers but to be with my Wife's family. My father in law introduced me to the wonderful world of fly fishing and gave me my first rod and reel set up. He has shown me the ropes and taken me on some fantastic floats down the Bow. I recently moved from Inglewood where I fished with success over the warmer months after being displaced by the floods from Rideau.

 

I love each and every aspect of fishing from open water down rigging, the novelty of ice fishing and now most of all flicking fly around to entice a trout.

 

I was wondering if anyone would be so kind to share some ideas as to where I can expand my fishing adventures outside of Calgary. I would love to know of some quieter streams or river systems that would offer a new adventure. As for targeted species, I'm not too picky at all and all fish I catch are C&R.

 

If you are not comfortable sharing your thoughts on this feed I would be very appreciative if you sent me a PM with some ideas. I know the importance of secret honey holes so general ideas are just fine.

 

Thanks In advance for any advice.

 

 

Cheers

[SilverDoctor]

You can start with the Bow River. Perhaps you would get a better response if you joined in with the discussions on the huge variety of fly fishing subjects here instead of asking for spots after 2 posts. Read some of the past posts, drive some of the back roads, have fun out there.

Doc

[Current]

Get to your closest fly shop, pick up a copy of Jim McLennan's Trout Streams of Alberta, and read it front to back. You won't be able to put it down anyways. Everything you're looking for is in there.

 

Cheers and enjoy!

 

Current

[FeatherFlicker]

You can start with the Bow River. Perhaps you would get a better response if you joined in with the discussions on the huge variety of fly fishing subjects here instead of asking for spots after 2 posts. Read some of the past posts, drive some of the back roads, have fun out there.

Doc

 

Sorry Doc if I stirred the pot by asking for advice too soon. Unintentionally. I guess I just cut to the chase because of my eagerness.

 

Thanks for the tips.

 

Regards

[FeatherFlicker]

Get to your closest fly shop, pick up a copy of Jim McLennan's Trout Streams of Alberta, and read it front to back. You won't be able to put it down anyways. Everything you're looking for is in there.

Cheers and enjoy!

Current

 

Thanks Current, I will be sure to do some investigating and pick up a copy of Jim's book.

 

Do you know of any other locally related texts that are worth a read.

 

Thanks for your time.

[darrinhurst]

While you're at the Fly Shop, be sure to pick up a copy of the Fishing Regulations as they not only share the regulations on all the streams, but do show some "maps" as to where the rivers are.

 

You can also pick up a copy of the 2014 Fishing Guide that will give you more detailed maps and information on local streams and general regulations.

 

If you are looking for a "general direction" of travel.......south.

[Vagabond]

Thanks Current, I will be sure to do some investigating and pick up a copy of Jim's book. Do you know of any other locally related texts that are worth a read. Thanks for your time.

"Alberta's Trout Highway/Fishing the Forestry Trunk Road" by Barry Mitchell...it's available in most local fly shops.

This controversial book no doubt raised the hackles of many when it was published and often regarded as a tell-all/where to go guide that would be the ruination of the eastern slopes fisheries?Personally,I don't see it as all that damning,although I'm sure if I was a lifelong resident I wouldn't have been happy to see my favorite streams exposed.....but as a relatively new Albertan myself,it's been a great resource for finding and exploring new waters,and it would literally take decades to actually visit and get familiar with the hundreds of streams feeding the 1/2 dozen major east slope drainages from the southern border up to Grande Prairie.Going on my 4th year in AB now,I've barely scratched the surface.

 

As for curing the itch of Spring Fever,skinny water fishing is pretty much limited to the Bow and Crowsnest until mid-June when the rest of the streams open to angling,after that the choices are almost unlimited.

[troutlover]

You are stuck with pretty much the Bow the Crow and the Old Man till June 16. The three are worth fishing as for the other streams that open June 16th you couldn't fish them all in a lifetime. I have gone on many explorations and honestly I have always found fish and never been disappointed. However my one true love is the Bow River when ever I take a day to fish else where I question why I traveled 200km to fish when I have one of the worlds best in my back yard. If I stray from the Bow its not about the fish its about finding beautiful places. If you explore the hills west of Calgary you will see things that will blow your mind. Welcome.

[sldrose]

Welcome to the Bow from a fellow Aussie!

 

Blue ribbon water running right through the city, ski hills close by!

What's not to love!

 

I mostly fish the bow (well re-learning the bow after the floods), but PM me and I can point you in the right direction.

 

cheers

Sean

[FeatherFlicker]

Thank you all for your time and your advice, I really appreciate it. Looks like I have some valuable reading to do. Thank you for putting me in the right direction.

 

Cheers.

[WyomingGeorge]

Well there are a couple of other streams that open April-ish.

[DonAndersen]

Feather...

 

Follow the link to the 5 books written about Alberta trout fishing.

Of the bunch, Barry Mitchell's book takes in a larger area although he does cover the Province. The other books are mostly related to southern Alberta.

 

http://www.braggcreekrecreation.com/fishing-guidebooks.html

 

Regards,

 

 

Don

[Teck71]

and don't forget your backroad map book central and southern are must haves in my truck paired with Alberta's Trout Highway/Fishing the Forestry Trunk Road.

[Hawgstoppah]

No one has mentioned any lakes yet, but do some site searching on Bullshead Reservoir. Opens up on April 1st (provided the ice is off) and can provide some really nice shore fishing with a fly rod for a couple of months until the weeds are too thick. Down south in my neck of the woods Police Lake (Open April 1 as well) is fairing well and fishing well, but you nearly need a pontoon to fish it though there is "ok" fishing from the island and a walk up the north shore. There is also chain lakes that is a real good fishery if you just need to have a riot sometimes.. tons of small ones and the odd monster will surprise you. Lower Kananaskis Lake should be noted as well, it can be a good place to hook into a large bull trout on the fly especially in the spring. Hope that helps.